Being a student is already time-consuming. With online school, our time commitment has become overwhelming. Professors expect us to work 24/7, making students feel extremely drained. Personally, I wake up and sit on my laptop for at least 10 hours every day. While I do take breaks for cooking, walking or just talking to a friend, similarly to other students, I don’t feel satisfied.
Finishing an assignment no longer gives me the same sense of relief it once did. When I manage to finish an assignment all I do is add a checkmark to a tiny square of an already massive to-do list. Things I used to do as a reward, such as watching a movie, ordering food or reading, no longer bring me the same joy; instead, I’m left with a sense of boredom. After some self-reflection, I soon realized that I needed to make myself feel accomplished in different ways to avoid my days melding together. If you’ve felt anything like I’ve described, read the three daily rituals that make me feel fulfilled during online school.
1. 5-4-Me
At the end of the long day staring at your laptop, it can be hard to think about all you’ve accomplished. At the end of your day, take five whole uninterrupted minutes to write down everything you did. This includes how much water you drank, the food you ate, if you took a shower, etc. List down your tasks and accomplishments from the time you woke up. Then, take some highlighters and four unfiltered minutes to go through your list and highlight how many things you did for work in one colour, school in another and lastly, things you did for yourself. Some days you may do more things for yourself while others you may do a lot of school work; having a visual representation of your day can make you realize your accomplishments. No day was wasted if you chose what was right for you.
2. Take care of my plants
Owning plants can be hard as a student but worthwhile. To have something that provides oxygen can give you the extra boost you’re looking for. By introducing certain plants into your home, you will start to notice improvements to your health and overall happiness. They improve concentration and productivity, reduce stress levels and boost your mood. Even if you aren’t the best at watering your plants, cacti exist that require little to no effort.
3. Go for a run
As a person who never worked out before online school, I can confidently say this has been mood changing. Not only does running make me sleep better, but it also helps me release any anxiety or stress I feel about the day. As someone who gets fairly anxious, running has allowed me to release that energy and feel healthy as well. Don’t get me wrong, the physical act of running hurts but I find I now crave that time to just listen to my music and let go.
With online school, it’s easy to get stuck in your head and space. The act of moving, reflecting and letting yourself take a break can make the biggest difference. These tips are based on my personal experiences and I hope they can help you too. Remember to drink water!
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